Lake Cachuma Is Focus of Search for Missing 5-Year-Old SoCal Boy

Personnel from the Los Angeles County and Santa Barbara County sheriff's departments worked in tandem on the investigation locally

Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confer during their search at Lake Cachuma for a missing 5-year-old from Southern California. The focus of the search was on land and in the water near El Dorado Point. (Tom Bolton / Noozhawk photo)

A search on Tuesday at Lake Cachuma did not turn up any sign of a missing 5-year-old boy from Southern California, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators.

Aramazd Andressian Jr. was last seen Thursday at Disneyland with his father, and an intensive search has been underway since seeking the child's whereabouts.

The boy’s father, Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, was found alone and unconscious in a vehicle in South Pasadena early Saturday morning.

He was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and child abduction, and was not forthcoming with investigators, giving conflicting statements, Lt. Joe Mendoza of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told Noozhawk.

"The father hasn’t given us any information that was helpful to us," Mendoz said. "He told us he was unconscious and he doesn’t remember what happened."

Santa Barbara County sheriff’s personnel, including members of the department's dive team and tracking dogs, as well as a county helicopter, were assisting in the search.

Early Tuesday afternoon, Mendoza told Noozhawk that investigators had not found any sign that the boy was with his father at the lake.

“We believe he (the father) spent the entire day there,” Mendoza said. “We’re trying to identify witnesses who saw him in the area, park attendants, anyone who may have seen him.”

Investigators aided by the tracking dogs combed the shoreline in the vicinity of El Dorado Point, where they believe Andressian spent most of the day Friday. Dive team members searched the adjacent waters, and a helicopter surveyed the scene from above.

Investigators were waiting to view surveillance video from the Cachuma Lake Store, according to Det. Louie Aguilera.

Andressian reportedly stopped in and made purchases at the store on Friday.

The boy's mother, who is going through a divorce with the father, reported the child missing at about 8:30 a.m. Saturday after the father failed to drop him off in San Marino.

After the father was located near Arroyo Park in South Pasadena, authorities conducted an intensive search of the area. Assisting in the efforts were police from San Marino, South Pasadena and Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Times reported that law enforcement agencies decided not to present the case to the district attorney due to insufficient evidence.

The Times also quoted South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller regarding the case:

“We [don’t] know if he (the boy) crawled out of the car himself, if he walked away, if he was abducted — we have no idea.”

Aramazd was described as 3 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing about 55 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a turquoise shirt and plaid shorts.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323.890.5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800.222.TIPS (8477).

Santa Barbara County sheriff’s personnel assist in Tuesday’s search for a missing Southern California boy, including members of the department’s dive team and tracking dogs, as well as a county helicopter. (Vicky Nguyen / KEYT.com photo)

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